Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licence of Sodexo India Services Pvt. Ltd. for the kitchen operating at Fortis Hospital in Mulund, Mumbai, following reported hygiene violations, including the presence of cockroaches, fungus-affected food containers and rusted knives.
The action, reported on October 17, 2026, has raised concerns about food safety and sanitation standards in hospital kitchens, where meals are prepared for patients who may be particularly vulnerable to foodborne infections.
According to media reports, the FDA inspection identified multiple deficiencies at the hospital’s on-premises kitchen, which is operated by Sodexo as a third-party dietary service provider.
Cockroaches, Contaminated Containers Among Reported Findings
The reported inspection findings included cockroaches in the kitchen, food waste in drainage areas, fungus-affected containers used for transporting food and rusted knives being used during food preparation.
The findings raise questions about pest control, sanitation, equipment maintenance and the procedures followed for cleaning and storing food-handling equipment.
Cockroaches can carry microorganisms from contaminated environments to food preparation surfaces. Similarly, inadequately cleaned or fungus-affected containers can create potential contamination risks, while rusted utensils raise concerns about hygienic food handling and equipment maintenance.
However, the publicly reported findings do not establish that a particular meal served to patients was contaminated or that any patient suffered an illness as a result of the kitchen’s operations.
FDA Action Targets the Food Business Licence
The reported regulatory action concerns the food business licence associated with the kitchen operated by Sodexo India Services. It should not be confused with the suspension of Fortis Hospital’s hospital operating licence.
The enforcement action was reported as part of a wider Maharashtra FDA drive against food establishments found to have hygiene or food-safety deficiencies.
Reports indicated that the wider drive resulted in the suspension of licences at 25 establishments across Maharashtra, including businesses in the Mumbai, Konkan, Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions.
The reported violations at the Fortis kitchen also draw attention to the hygiene and sanitation requirements applicable to food businesses under India’s food-safety regulatory framework.
Fortis Says Corrective Measures Are Underway
Fortis Hospital, Mulund, responded to the FDA observations by stating that it had taken the matter seriously and directed its third-party dietary service provider to address the identified deficiencies.
According to the hospital’s reported statement, corrective measures were being coordinated with the service provider. The hospital also said alternative meal arrangements were being made wherever required to ensure the continued provision of safe and nutritious food to patients and their attendants.
The statement indicates that the hospital was working to address the concerns. However, a subsequent FDA reinspection confirming that all deficiencies had been resolved, along with formal restoration of the kitchen’s licence, could not be independently verified from the reports reviewed.
Why Hospital Kitchen Hygiene Matters
Food safety in healthcare facilities requires particular attention because patients recovering from surgery, undergoing treatment or living with underlying medical conditions may face greater risks from foodborne infections.
Effective pest control, proper waste disposal, hygienic food storage, regular cleaning of containers and utensils, and routine inspection of kitchen equipment are essential elements of safe institutional catering.
The reported findings raise questions about how these controls were implemented at the Mulund facility and how compliance was monitored by the kitchen operator and the hospital.
The incident also highlights the importance of regular food-safety inspections and prompt corrective action in institutional kitchens that prepare meals for vulnerable consumers.
Questions Remain Over Reinspection and Licence Restoration
While the suspension has brought the reported hygiene deficiencies into focus, several details remain unclear. These include the complete findings documented in the FDA inspection report, the specific legal provisions cited in the suspension order, whether food or kitchen surfaces were sampled for laboratory testing, and whether a subsequent inspection has taken place.
The current status of the suspended licence also remains unverified in the public reporting reviewed.
The FDA’s inspection report and any subsequent compliance or licence-restoration order would help establish the full regulatory record.
For now, the reported action places hospital catering hygiene under scrutiny and raises broader questions about the food-safety standards maintained by third-party operators serving healthcare facilities.
Indian Food Times will update this report if further verified information becomes available from Maharashtra FDA, Fortis Hospital or Sodexo India Services.